Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from small joint using ultrasound guidance
Medicare pricing data for 6,653 providers across 52 states
Note: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees are billed separately and can be 2-5x the physician fee.
💡 What You Should Know
Aspiration and/or injection of fluid from small joint using ultrasound guidance (HCPCS code 20604) is a medical procedure billed to Medicare. The average Medicare-allowed cost is $75.63, but hospitals typically charge $295.30 — a 3.9x markup. Prices vary significantly by state and provider.
🏷️ Typical Out-of-Pocket Cost
Medicare patients typically pay about 20% of the allowed amount as coinsurance. Based on the average allowed cost of $75.63, your out-of-pocket cost would be approximately $15.13. Actual costs depend on your specific plan, deductible, and whether you've met your annual out-of-pocket maximum.
What Hospitals Charge vs. What Medicare Pays
Hospitals charge 3.9x more than what Medicare allows for this procedure. Medicare actually pays $57.00 on average.
Cost by State
Medicare-allowed amounts vary significantly by state
| State | Allowed Cost | Hospital Charge | Providers | Services | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $94 | $252 | 18 | 95 | +24.2% |
| Alaska | $93 | $543 | 18 | 130 | +23.3% |
| New Jersey | $89 | $486 | 251 | 1,803 | +17.1% |
| Delaware | $88 | $276 | 15 | 337 | +16.2% |
| Hawaii | $85 | $192 | 11 | 27 | +12.1% |
| Connecticut | $84 | $372 | 60 | 388 | +11.1% |
| California | $84 | $271 | 602 | 5,409 | +10.7% |
| New York | $84 | $407 | 456 | 3,198 | +10.4% |
| Maryland | $79 | $203 | 143 | 1,256 | +4.2% |
| Colorado | $78 | $299 | 129 | 860 | +3.6% |
| Florida | $78 | $229 | 495 | 7,757 | +3.1% |
| Massachusetts | $77 | $505 | 146 | 1,436 | +1.6% |
| Louisiana | $76 | $258 | 39 | 288 | +0.1% |
| Rhode Island | $76 | $288 | 31 | 439 | +0.1% |
| North Carolina | $76 | $255 | 170 | 1,098 | -0.0% |
| Illinois | $75 | $312 | 268 | 1,581 | -0.2% |
| Nevada | $75 | $338 | 62 | 579 | -0.3% |
| Georgia | $75 | $337 | 151 | 1,000 | -0.7% |
| Washington | $75 | $230 | 162 | 632 | -1.3% |
| Oregon | $75 | $275 | 98 | 655 | -1.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $75 | $318 | 341 | 2,186 | -1.3% |
| South Carolina | $75 | $307 | 115 | 1,423 | -1.3% |
| Michigan | $74 | $196 | 207 | 1,226 | -1.8% |
| Virginia | $74 | $254 | 210 | 1,791 | -1.8% |
| South Dakota | $74 | $320 | 44 | 468 | -1.8% |
| Arizona | $74 | $245 | 226 | 2,216 | -2.1% |
| Texas | $74 | $302 | 381 | 2,874 | -2.6% |
| Wyoming | $73 | $347 | 12 | 104 | -2.9% |
| Mississippi | $73 | $341 | 46 | 869 | -3.1% |
| Indiana | $73 | $271 | 115 | 936 | -3.5% |
| New Mexico | $71 | $177 | 48 | 404 | -5.9% |
| Arkansas | $71 | $198 | 38 | 227 | -6.1% |
| Puerto Rico | $71 | $79 | 10 | 24 | -6.3% |
| Alabama | $69 | $152 | 84 | 549 | -8.1% |
| New Hampshire | $69 | $326 | 35 | 483 | -8.4% |
| Kansas | $68 | $250 | 53 | 365 | -9.6% |
| Ohio | $68 | $260 | 238 | 1,188 | -10.3% |
| Missouri | $68 | $259 | 109 | 737 | -10.4% |
| Minnesota | $67 | $442 | 184 | 1,220 | -11.0% |
| Oklahoma | $67 | $158 | 42 | 511 | -11.3% |
| Kentucky | $67 | $204 | 55 | 311 | -11.6% |
| Utah | $67 | $205 | 126 | 971 | -11.6% |
| Tennessee | $67 | $239 | 153 | 992 | -12.0% |
| Vermont | $65 | $201 | 7 | 50 | -13.9% |
| Maine | $65 | $205 | 35 | 187 | -14.1% |
| Wisconsin | $65 | $570 | 144 | 936 | -14.3% |
| Montana | $62 | $244 | 21 | 430 | -17.4% |
| West Virginia | $62 | $203 | 20 | 98 | -18.2% |
| Iowa | $61 | $412 | 52 | 451 | -18.7% |
| Nebraska | $61 | $226 | 42 | 143 | -19.9% |
| North Dakota | $54 | $315 | 15 | 95 | -28.7% |
| Idaho | $53 | $192 | 74 | 443 | -30.1% |
⚠️ Important: These costs reflect the Medicare physician/supplier component. Hospital facility fees may be billed separately. Total out-of-pocket costs may be higher.
💊 Need post-procedure medications? Check costs on OpenPrescriber